Fallen
by Obsessed with Orlando
Summary: When Dawn jumps into the portal, she gets stuck for centuries in a timeless dimension where she slowly remembers about the key. Finally she gets filtered out, right into middle earth, during the time of the quest to get rid of the ring.
1. chapter 1

I know tht I shouldn't be starting another story, but If I don't get this out of my head I won't be able to do the other one.....  
  
I don't own anythig you recognize.  
  
Chapter one- Falling  
  
Dawn jumped. She didn't know why she didn't let Buffy. It could be hundreds of reasons. She didn't want Buffy to die, she didn't want to live, she wanted to be someone else, somewhere else, doing something else, she wanted the pain to go away, she felt that she was to blame, and that she couldn't go back knowing that it was her fault that Buffy was gone.   
  
It was all those reasons, and so many more that she was falling now, but most of all, it was that it called to her. She felt that if she ever wanted to feel complete, fullfilled, then she had to jump, so she did.  
  
As she fell, it felt like peices of the puzzle were also falling into place, almost as if she felt more whole. Less like Dawn, and more like the key. Like the knowledge of herself was slowly, but surely being unlocked.  
  
It felt like she was falling for years. She could sometimes make out shadows in the white light, and could hear conversations being carried on around her in other languages as she flew by. Slowly she came to understand them all on a basic level, and soon on a more advanced one.  
  
She felt so tired. It seemed as if centuries had passed, and she still wasn't through. She often cried now, and called out to anyone who might have been listening.  
  
"Will I be stuck here forever!? Why!? What purpose will it serve!? I want to live again!"  
  
The gods never listened though. It was a cruel world that they left her in. One of solitude, and bright white light, with only her mind, and the voices to keep her company. She closed her eyes, and didn't open them again for a long time. 


	2. chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize, and if you do decide to sue me, all your going to get is a computer that is slightly better than a Commodore 64, and two buttons...not a very good deal if you ask me.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Dawn felt herself being violently jerked around. She opened her eyes, and began to scream as she plummeted to the ground. She landed hard. When she looked up there was an axe in her face.  
  
"Who are you?" the short, stout man holding the axe asked.  
  
"I.I think that my name is Dawn," she managed to get out in a hoarse whisper. The last time she had said anything was so long ago that she could barely speak. She thought that her name was Dawn, but she could be wrong. It had been so long since she had heard her name that it sounded like a funny name for a key to have.  
  
"You think?" a man with very long blonde hair asked her as he lowered his bow a little, but not enough to comfort her any.  
  
" I don't know what my name is anymore!" she defended herself, and winced as one of the swords nicked her throat.  
  
"Boromir!" yelled a strong, but old and pained sounding voice," Do not harm her! She is not of this world, and you do not know what power you release but shedding her blood!"  
  
"Yes, I know now you., " someone behind her whispered. All she could tell was that he was a man. "You are the key."  
  
"I am," she said, "but it's not my fault I'm here! I was forgotten for centuries!" she cried, with a look in her eye that made the man in front of her lower his axe to the ground.  
  
"I don't know exactly what the key is, but you seem fine to me. I could never hurt such a slip of a girl anyway," he said in a gruff voice.  
  
"The key is always sent where it is needed. This is the first time that I have seen it in an intelligent form though." the man behind her said. He sounded as though her were very graceful, and noble by the way that he spoke.  
  
" Yes. You're right. The monks that made me wanted me to be able to make my own decisions. Most of my memories aren't even real. They just put them there so that I would think I was real, and so that I would have a personality that others would like. I have no family except for my sister, and my friend Spike. He's like a brother to me. They're all gone now though, and Buffy was never really my sister anyway. The monks planted the information in her brain that she was my sis. None of it all mattered in the end though did it?" she said in a harsh voice.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
"Well, my blood still opened all the icky hell dimensions,, and the only way to stop it was for me to die. My sister said that she would do it. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. They made me out of her. I jumped instead though. I still don't know why. I mean..I wanted to live, but I couldn't if I knew that everyone would blame me for her death. It just felt right. I didn't die though, so that means that Buffy had to jump too. All I did was save myself from guilt. I'm awful, and they're gone now. Long dead by now, and I'm left here, all alone to wallow in my petty guilt and despair." By the end of her speech, her throat was burning, and tears were falling from her eyes.  
  
"How is it that you have feelings, and emotions? The last time I saw you, you were just a ball of unnaturally bright, white light."  
  
"I still am on the inside. I don't know how I have anything. All the monks were killed, so it looks like I'll be this way for a while huh? There isn't anyone left who knows how to control me. Even I don't know the full extent of my god forsaken powers. So feel free to try and kill me. I don't think that it will work though."  
  
"It will not." the old man said, "She is needed here for some reason, and I think that I know what it is. It must have to do with the ring. Why else would she be placed here? She will go with us."  
  
The man called Boromir spoke up now, "It is not human, or of any kind here in middle earth. Why should we trust it?"  
  
"I may not be human, but you should at least grace me with a gender! I am a female, and I have a name. It's Dawn!" she said as loud as she could, which was just below talking level.  
  
"How can you be so sure?" he asked. "A minute ago you had no idea what it was."  
  
"My name is Dawn. I am sure."  
  
"Key or no, she is still a female," he said loudly, obviously hoping to get the others to realize this, and take his side.  
  
"Female or not, I am still the key, which gives me access to things that your human mind couldn't comprehend! Both powerful and subtle, things that could destroy this world, or just one person if played at correctly." She didn't feel the same as she had when she first fell into the world. She felt strong, and like she was more than just Dawn. Like she was the key. The one who decided all of their fates in the end. All she had to do was pick a side, and the one with the cute blonde guy on it seemed good enough for her. 


	3. chapter 3

I'm really sorry that it took this long for me to get another chapter out. Things have been rather hectic though, so don't expect another chapter out to soon, although I may up and surprise you.  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Dawn sighed as she rolled over in the bed. She felt as if she would never sleep again. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could think about was the abyss. The sensation of falling seemed to haunt her relentlessly. She knew she would find no comfort or rest tonight, so she threw off the covers, and got out of bed. She went over to the corner, where her things were stacked in an orderly manner. The man who was standing behind her, was now known to her as Lord Elrond. She thought back to the meeting she had had with him.  
  
*************  
  
Flashback  
  
*************  
  
"First of all, let me commend you for your handling of the situation. I know that others would have been less inclined to maintain control," he said as he led her into what looked like a study.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Elrond, Lord Elrond, but you may call me the former."  
  
"Thank you Elrond. I umm..I dot understand why I'm here, or where exactly here is."  
  
"This is Middle Earth. It is quite obvious that you were sent here for a reason. I believe that it is to help destroy the one ring. I have a few questions to ask before I equip you with the necessary clothes, and armor, and such. First of all, from where do you hail?"  
  
"Um I'm from Sunnydale. It's in regular earth.," at his blank look, she decided to elaborate, "the Hellmouth."  
  
"Ah..the merging of the worlds and hell. Only a few people have ever survived the cross though. How old were you when you fell, do you know?"  
  
"I have no idea. Besides, even if I did, I wouldn't know how old I am here. I have no idea how old I am now."  
  
"Were you human?"  
  
"Yes, and what do you mean by were you?"  
  
"Well, you no longer are..you are an elf now."  
  
"What!?" Her hands moved immediately to her ears. He was right, they were slightly pointy, and felt more sensitive than before.  
  
"It's very possible that the key changes into the most energy efficient being in the dimension. It also seems that your energy is bleaching your hair."  
  
Her eyes got wide, and she lifted a few strands of her rather long hair in front of her eyes. It was white. Pure white.Platinum blonde..  
  
"Oh my god.."  
  
"It's quite interesting actually. "  
  
"Ummm...," she dropped her hair, "I need some things if I'm going to go on this quest thing. First of all clothes. No dresses."  
  
"I sent Arwen to place some clothes in your room while we were in here."  
  
"Secondly, I need weapons. My sister was the slayer, so I know how to use several different ones. Spike taught me how to use a quarter staff, and a sword. I really suck at using a crossbow though. I have awful aim."  
  
"Well then, when Arwen comes back I'll tell her to find a spare staff, and sword for you."  
  
"Is there anything else that you would like to ask me?"  
  
"What exactly are you people trying to do?"  
  
"We are trying to destroy a ring. The one ring. It wants to go back to its master, and he wants it back with him. He's going to use to make Middle Earth miserable. That's the short of it."  
  
"It's good enough for me. I've heard of weirder things than that."  
  
Just then there was a knock on the door. "Father, may I come in?""  
  
"Yes Arwen."  
  
In came another elf. She was gorgeous with dark hair, and a pale face.  
  
"Father, when you are done talking, would you like me to escort Lady Dawn to her quarters?"  
  
"Yes Arwen, but first, could you see if we have an extra quarterstaff, and long sword in the weaponry?"  
  
She looked questioningly at Dawn, but nodded her head, and left. As soon as she was gone, Elrond turned his back on Dawn, and reached for something on the shelf behind him. When he turned around, he had an intricately carved wooden box in his hand. He opened it up, and lifted a necklace from it. It was had a silver leaf hanging from a long silver chain.  
  
"I want you to have this. Any elf will recognize you as under my protection if you show them this. It will also gain you safe admittance through Galadriel's wood."  
  
"Thank you so much Lord Elrond. It's beautiful!"  
  
She turned around, and held her hair away from her neck as he looped it around her, and did the clasp. It hung right under her breasts.  
  
"Thank you again."  
  
The door opened again, and Arwen entered, holding a staff in one hand, and a sword in the other. Both had intricate leaf designs on them.  
  
"Sleep well, you have a trying journey ahead of you."  
  
Dawn inclined her head before following Arwen out.  
  
"He seems to like you very much," she said as she led her to her room.  
  
"Umm..thank you."  
  
"Dawn, could you do me a favor?"  
  
"Uh.sure.I'll try."  
  
"Keep an eye on Aragorn for me. I cant stand the thought of anything happening to him."  
  
"Aragorn?"  
  
"He'll introduce himself to you."  
  
"I'll do my best."  
  
*************************  
  
End flashback  
  
*************************  
  
The sun was peeking over the horizon, sending rays of light in through the window. Dawn knew that she would have a hard day of it, having not slept a wink all night. She wondered if she would ever be able to again. 


End file.
